Quote:
Originally Posted by PureHarvest
I don't think you should expand the peat by two. It settles back down when watered. Maybe not as tight as the 3.8, but it settles. Not sure exactly how to account for that though.
When I calculate, I go right off the 3.8 bale to be conservative.
I fill my 5-gals almost to the top because I don't hand water so I don't need to leave more than 1/2 to 1" (each Bag is watered with a spray stake). The 5 gal takes about 2/3 of a cubic foot or .66
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Its hard to say in truth about the expansion of peat, no arguments here. I have searched all over the internet, countless hours, and the general consensus seems to be a factor of 2. So... I go with it. If you have any relative links, or info, Im all ears. I think the key is to be consitent at any rate, whatever formula you go with.
The 7 gallon bags, if you do the math on the measurements come out to be just a shade over 5 gallon. Im confident that we both understand the difference in "gallons" and "nursery gallons". Some folks just can't wrap their head around it. With that being said, I filled my bags to about 3/4. As the plants grows up and out of the bag, Ill top it off. Saving a little room for some kind of mulch.
Like you, I use drip irrigation. Its the only way, far as I am concerned. Im on a well, so water is precious. I learned my lesson last year with the drought we had. Middle of summer, my well was almost dry. I had to let everything die. I now have an additional 5000 gallon agriculture tank for an emergency. Its plum full of water at this point. I stashed it behind my storage building and ran a gutter over to the tank to fill it up with rain, during the winter.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PureHarvest
Also, what if u added all your labor for mixing time?
I would have to add that in b/c I'm running an enetrprise budget to nail down the costs as a business. Not trying to be correcty correctorson, just curious how long it takes you as I would consider doing what you are doing one day.
I assign 12.55 per hour of labor.
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Labor costs... I really have no clue. I understand where your coming from though.
For now, its just me running the greenhouse and "Farm". My wife works a full time medical job. With that being said, and Im sure you can relate too what Im going to ask:
Do you ever really stop thinking about your business? Can you separate your personal time from business time?
Im pretty much thinking about it all the time. Before I go to sleep, and when im stumbling around the house in the morning with that first cup of coffee. The greenhouse, the plants, the farmers market, its all their, living in my head.
How does one pay for all that "thinking time". I don't know. Maybe Im over dramatizing it, but Im sure you can relate.
But your question does challenge me. With pure luck, I have run out of soil making supplies. This weekend I have to go get more supplies. Ill keep track of the cost of all supplies, and time involved in the mixing and transplanting of seedlings.
Im curious as to what it comes out to be. For reference I do mix by hand in a 27 gallon storage tote. I have been looking into a concrete mixer.
Thats a business write off, isnt it?
